Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 13 023
Apply for RFA CA 13 023
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Answers to NCIs Provocative Questions Group D (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research 93.395 Cancer Treatment Research 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.399 Cancer Control.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 30, 2013 and posted on Sep 30, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 20, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Independent school districts For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) County governments State governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Special district governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses City or township governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Private institutions of higher education.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
Research Answers to NCI's Provocative Questions Group D (R21) (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-CA-13-023) is a National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute grant opportunity designed to push cancer research in directions that are creative, high-impact, and often underexplored. The central idea is straightforward: NCI identified a set of specific "provocative questions" that highlight persistent problems, contradictions, or blind spots in cancer research, and this FOA funds projects that directly aim to answer those questions. These questions are intentionally framed to challenge standard thinking and to draw attention to areas that may be important for progress but have not historically received enough research focus. The opportunity is not meant to cover every priority within NCI's broader cancer research mission; instead, it targets a curated set of issues where fresh approaches or new lines of inquiry could unlock significant advances.
This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically associated with exploratory or developmental research. In practical terms, that means applicants are generally expected to propose innovative ideas, early-stage concepts, or novel approaches that can open up new avenues rather than deliver a fully mature, large-scale program of work. The R21 format is a good fit for testing bold hypotheses, piloting new methods, or generating key proof-of-concept data that could later support a larger R01-style project. The award ceiling listed for this announcement is $200,000, signaling that budgets are intended to support smaller, focused projects that move quickly and produce meaningful insight aligned with one of the provocative questions.
The scientific scope is broad across cancer research, reflected in the range of CFDA numbers associated with the announcement: cancer cause and prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, biology, and control. This signals that the provocative questions could touch many parts of the cancer research pipeline, from basic mechanisms of tumor development and progression to clinical and population-level challenges such as screening, resistance, disparities, survivorship, or implementation issues. The key is that proposed work should be tightly connected to solving one of the specific problems or paradoxes posed by the NCI initiative, and it should be framed as a direct attempt to produce an answer rather than a general study only loosely related to cancer.
Eligibility is intentionally expansive and includes many organization types that commonly participate in NIH funding. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities outside higher education), small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and multiple levels of government such as state, county, city or township, special districts, and independent school districts. The FOA also explicitly includes a variety of mission-based and community-linked institutions and entities, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, and faith-based or community-based organizations. Importantly, foreign participation is allowed: non-U.S. organizations and institutions may apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components are permitted as defined by NIH policy. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which is consistent with typical NIH research grant structures and reduces barriers for applicants who might otherwise struggle to provide non-federal matching funds.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary grant opportunity posted on September 30, 2013, with an original and current closing date of June 20, 2014, and an archive date of July 21, 2014, meaning it is no longer open under that specific posting. Even so, it provides a clear example of how NCI uses targeted research questions to steer innovation: rather than asking for broad cancer proposals, NCI effectively says, "Here are specific puzzles the field has not solved; bring us your best ideas to crack them." Applicants interested in the official archived announcement and full details were directed to the NIH grants page at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-CA-13-023.html, and NIH's Office of Extramural Research webmaster contact was provided for access or technical issues.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a focused, innovation-driven cancer research grant call: modest in budget compared to large awards, broad in the types of organizations that can apply (including international entities), and strategically narrow in that projects are expected to align with and answer NCI's deliberately challenging provocative questions that highlight neglected but potentially transformative areas of cancer research.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Research Answers to NCI's Provocative Questions Group D (R21)" and it is associated with Funding Opportunity Number (FOA) RFA-CA-13-023.
Which agency is offering this funding?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) opportunity offered through the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The purpose is to fund research projects that directly aim to answer a specific set of NCI-identified "provocative questions" in cancer research. These questions are designed to push the field toward creative, high-impact, and often underexplored directions by focusing on persistent problems, contradictions, or blind spots.
What are NCI "provocative questions" in this context?
They are specific research questions curated by NCI to highlight puzzles or neglected areas in cancer research. The intent is to challenge standard thinking and encourage fresh approaches that could unlock meaningful advances.
Is this FOA meant to cover all cancer research priorities at NCI?
No. The FOA is described as strategically narrow: it targets a curated set of issues framed as provocative questions, rather than serving as a broad call for all cancer-related priorities within NCI's wider mission.
What grant mechanism does this FOA use?
This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically used for exploratory or developmental research.
What kind of projects are a good fit for an R21 under this FOA?
Projects are expected to be innovative and exploratory, such as testing bold hypotheses, piloting new methods, or generating proof-of-concept results that could support a later, larger project (for example, an R01-style effort). The emphasis is on opening up new avenues rather than proposing a fully mature, large-scale program.
How much funding is available per award?
The award ceiling listed in the provided information is $200,000, indicating budgets are intended for smaller, focused projects.
Does the FOA require cost-sharing or matching funds?
No. The provided information states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
What scientific areas of cancer research are included?
The scientific scope is described as broad across cancer research. The associated CFDA areas include cancer cause and prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, biology, and control. In practice, this could include topics ranging from basic tumor mechanisms to clinical or population-level challenges such as screening, resistance, disparities, survivorship, or implementation issues, as long as the project is tightly aligned with one of the provocative questions.
How closely must an application align to the provocative questions?
The proposed work should be tightly connected to solving one of the specific provocative questions and should be framed as a direct attempt to produce an answer, not a general cancer study that is only loosely related.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as expansive and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities outside higher education), small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city or township, special districts, and independent school districts).
Are community-based or faith-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes faith-based and community-based organizations among eligible applicants.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically included?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes several categories of mission-based and community-linked institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions.
Are foreign organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The information provided states that foreign participation is allowed, including: non-U.S. organizations and institutions may apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components are permitted as defined by NIH policy.
When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?
It was posted on September 30, 2013. The original and current closing date listed is June 20, 2014.
Is this FOA still open for applications?
No. The archive date is July 21, 2014, and the closing date has passed, so the specific posting is no longer open.
Where can applicants find the official archived announcement?
The provided information directs users to the NIH grants page for the archived FOA at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-CA-13-023.html
Who was listed as a contact for access or technical issues?
The information states that NIH's Office of Extramural Research webmaster contact was provided for access or technical issues related to the official announcement.
What is the basic strategy behind this NCI approach?
Rather than requesting broad cancer proposals, NCI identifies specific unsolved puzzles (the provocative questions) and invites applicants to bring innovative ideas to answer them. The design is meant to steer innovation into areas that may be important for progress but have historically received less attention.
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